Photographic sound-reproducing apparatus



Feb. '24, 1931. F. H. owENs PHOTOGRAPHIC SOUND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1929 IN V EN TOR. eff/AN /v Dwi/vs.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 FREEMAN n. ovrnNs,` on New Yoan N. Y,

PonArIoN, or NEW YORK, N. fr.

T OFFICE ASSIGNOR TO OEVENS DEVELOPMENT COR- .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK IPHOTOGRAPHI SOUND-REPRODUCING APPARATUS Application filed May` 28,

This invention relates to improvements in photographic sound reproducing apparatus, the principal object of the invention being to provide means for selectively bringing into operative position any one of a plurality of separate sound records carried by a single film.

Other objects and advantages of theinvention: will appear` as the description proceeds.

ln the drawing accompanying this specification, r'

Figure-1 is a diagrammatic, partly sectional view illustrating the essential elements l `of an apparatus embodying the present in- 'ventio r Figure 2 is a partly sectional and broken away side view illustrating in detail the film shifting means forming the subject matter of the invention; and y '20 Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view on a rel duced scale illustrating Vthe manner in which the film is looped before and after its passage through the gate.` The same characters of reference designate the same parts in the different figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I have provided a reproducing unit of the well known type, y rcomprising the usual lamp l, focusing lens which moves past a slit in the gate so that light from the lamp will be focused by the lens through said slit and through al sound record carried by the film, the usual light sensitive element or photo electric cell 5 being disposed in the path of the light rays after modulation thereof by passage through the Y sound record. The output of the photo electric cell is connected with a suitable amplifier 6, which in turn delivers its output to a Vloud speaker 7 in the usual manner.

As hereinbefore stated, the present invention has to do especially with means whereby a plurality of photographic sound records carried by a single lilm may be successively brought in to position to be reproduced. To thisend the film l is shown herein provided A. witha plurality of sound record tracks 8, 9, l0, l1 and l2 respectively disposed in parallel V2, gate 3 for supporting a traveling film 4 i relation longitudinally of thefilm and spaced 1929. Serial No. 366,642.

apart transversely of the film. Mounted for Arotation in bearings carried by the frame 13` is a shaft ll, to which is secured a drivinor pulley 15 to which motion is transmitted by a belt 16 from the driving mechanism of the apparatus. Upon the shaft la is keyed as at 14a for rotation therewith and for axially sliding movement thereon a sleeve 17 provided at one end with film sprocket 18 in position to engage the film through its edge openings and move it longitudinally past thesound reproducing appa ratus, a presser roller 19 of the usual construction being provided for retaining the hlm in engagement with the` sprocket, said roller being mounted in a bracket 2() formed ontlie sleeve. F or moving the sleeve 17 axially on its shaft a lever 2l is provided, said lever being pivoted approximately inidvvay of its length in a lined, portion 22 of the fram-e. The sleeve is provided at its free end with spaced flanges 23, and the lever is bifurcated at one end, the bifurcations 2l straddling the sleeve between said flanges. Each bifurcated y portion 24 may be provided at its end with a friction reducing roller25. At its opposite or" free end, the lever is provided with a handle 26 for manually swinging the lever on its pivot. y

From the foregoing it will be obvious that as the lever 2l is swung back and forth on its pivot, the` sleeve 17 will be axially reciprocated on the shaft 14, thus moving the film 4 transversely and the successive sound records into alignment with the slit in the gate 3. `For positively retaining the lever in position with any given record in alignment with the slit, the lever'is provided with` a4 disk formed portion 27 disposed in concentric relation with its pivot, said portion being provided in its periphery with a plurality of` curved depressions 28, corresponding in number with the sound records on the film,

each of saicl-clepressions being adapted to receive the rounded end of a spring pressed de tentwpin 29l mountedin the frame 22. `The relative location of the pin 29 and depressions 28 is such that whenthe pin is in engagement with one of said depressions, .a corresponding sound record ou. the film 1s 'light projection'through the record.

exactly in alignment with the slitin the gate v3. -As indicated in Figure 3, the film is looped for a'considerable distance from the points' Where it enters and emergesfrom the gate. This looping of the nlm vvillpermit the film to be moved. laterally Without buckling or tvvistingof the film adjacent to the point of From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will beseen that 'I have provided a practical apparatus whereby either ofa pluralityl of separate sound records carried by a single film can be selected for reproduction by merely moving a lever and Without removing the film from the machine. Y l f' i It vvill be understood, of course, that the in dividual records carried by theflm may be I either entirely different records, or each succe'eding` record may be a ycontinuationkof the preceding one. The particular choice Yof records to be carried by the'iilm isiv'ithout effect on the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims hereto ap-k pended.;

`I claim: l Y Y l l. A photographic sound reproducingV apparatus comprising in combination, a photographic sound reproducing unit, a film adapted to travel through said unit and carrying a plurality of sound records, film mov- Aing means, driving means therefor, means for selectively shifting said4 film moving Y means relative to said driving means therebyl to carry either of its records into operative position inthe reproducing unit, and means forY retaining said shifting means in any of its selected positions. p v

2. A photographic sound reproducing apparatus, comprising in combination,` a'sound "reproducing unit', a film adapted to travel through said unit and having a plurality of l soundv records thereon, means for causing traveling movement of the. film, fixed driving means therefor, said film moving means being/shiftable vwith respect to said driving means and laterally of the direction of travel of the film, and means for shifting said filmr moving means thereby to carry either of the sound records into` operative posit-ion in relation to the reproducing unit.v t

3. A photographic soundrreproducing ap-l paratus comprising in combination, a sound reproducing unit, a film adapted to travel through said unitl and having a plurality of sound records thereon, means 'for causing traveling movement'of the film, ,drivingY means therefor, saidv film moving means being shiftable with respect to said driving means and laterally ofthe direction of travel lof the film, and a lever for shifting said'filmV moving means thereby to carry either of the sound records into yoperative position in re- .lationto thei'eproducing unit, and means forl positively retaining the lever in the selected position.

el. A photographic-sound reproducing apparatus comprising a reproducing unit, a film mounted for traveling Vmovement through said unit and having a plurality of sound recorde thereon, a shaft mounted for rotation adjacent to said'reproducing unit, a member mounted on said shaft for Vrotation there-V with and slidable axially thereon, means carried by said member for engaging the lm and causing it tov travel through said unit, a pivoted lever in engagement With said slidable member for shiftingethe same axially of the shaft thereby tomove the film laterally to carry either of its sound records into operative position in the reproducing unit, said lever having a 'plurality of .angularly disi lation to the reproducing unit.

whereof, l affix my signature.

raamt-AN n. oivnNs.

In testimony 

